PRIMAL GAMES RULES - ADULTS

GRAPPLING & BJJ RULES

Below you will find the grappling and Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) rules and regulations. Please read carefully as you will probably find some noticeable features in both divisions unique to the Primal Games.

Weight classes

Men

- 65 kg

- 70 kg

- 76 kg

- 83 kg

- 91 kg

- 100 kg

+ 100 kg

Women

- 65 kg

+ 65 kg

If you participate in one of the BJJ divisions your weight will be measured without the gi, in the same manner as our grappling divisions.

Divisions

Grappling and BJJ divisions based on experience:

Novice: Less than 1 year of training in BJJ, judo, wrestling, sambo, grappling, MMA, etc. and no professional MMA fights.

Beginner: 1 - 3 years of training in BJJ, judo, wrestling, sambo, grappling, MMA, etc. and no professional MMA fights.

When an athlete, upon achieving side-control or north-south positions over an opponent, does not seek positional progression or is not actively working towards a win by submission

When an athlete in an opponent’s closed guard does not seek to pass guard and at the same time prevents the opponent from seeking positional progression from guard

When the bottom athlete playing closed guard wraps his/her arms around the opponent’s back or performs any other controlling movement clutching the opponent to him/her without intending to achieve a submission or score

* The aforementioned examples are merely illustrative and do not represent all the situations that may be deemed lack of combativeness (stalling)

Penalty system for lack of combativeness (stalling)

The penalty system for lack of combativeness is designed to the hierarchy below.

While the match continues, the referee will give a verbal warning to the athlete that is stalling. He will make clear to which fighter the warning relates by yelling “Bottom Athlete”, “Top Athlete” or “Both Athletes” followed by the warning “Action”.

Immediately after the first verbal warning the referee starts counting 20 seconds. If the regarding athlete still is showing lack of combativeness (stalling) after 20 seconds the referee will go to step 2 in the hierarchy.

While the match continues, the referee will perform the gesture for the awarded penalty*. Note that with this penalty there will be 1 penalty added to the scoreboard of the penalized athlete.

Immediately after the gesture for the awarded penalty* the referee will give a verbal warning to the athlete that is stalling. He will make clear to which fighter the warning relates by yelling “Bottom Athlete”, “Top Athlete” or “Both Athletes” followed by the warning “Action, Second Warning”.

After the second verbal warning the referee starts counting 20 seconds. If the regarding athlete still is showing lack of combativeness (stalling) after 20 seconds the referee will go to step 3 in the hierarchy.

The referee stops the fight and both athletes will be set up to start in standing position, in the same way as the starting point of a new match.

Before the referee starts the match again, the referee will perform the gesture for the awarded penalty*. Note that with this penalty there will be 1 penalty added to the scoreboard of the penalized athlete and two points added to the scoreboard of his/her opponent. If the athlete has already received a penalty on the scoreboard, this penalty will be added to the scoreboard.

If the regarding athlete will show lack of combativeness (stalling) again after the match has been restarted, the referee will go to step 4 in the hierarchy.

Immediate disqualification of the regarding athlete(s).

* Gesture for the awarded penalty: Arm corresponding to the penalized athlete points to the middle of his chest followed by raising a clenched fist to shoulder height.

Remarks in account to the point system

Points for a throw or takedown will only be given to the competitor who ends up on top and controls the opponent for 3 seconds.

Points will only be given when a competitor controls the opponent for 3 seconds. When a competitor makes a throw or takedown, the opponent has to be controlled on the ground regardless of the position. Note that if the opponent lands in the turtle position, no points will be given.

If an opponent lands in the turtle positon after a takedown, no points will be given. Points for the takedown will eventually be given to the athlete that ends on top and controls the position for 3 seconds. For example, this could be guard, side mount or any of the other positions named in the aforementioned point system.

Regarding the knee on belly position, points will only be given when one knee is placed on the belly, chest or ribs of his/her opponent, while maintaining his/her other leg extended away from the opponent. The foot (not the knee) must be on the ground with the body facing the opponent’s head (not legs).

No points will be given for a catch, sweep or reversal. Again, it is all about control and dominance. If you make a sweep or reversal then you should be happy that you have ended on top. In case of a catch; an almost successful submission is simply not a submission.

When a competitor moves to a better position then he or she will gain points for this position. Example: from side mount to mount = 2 points + 3 points. This makes a total of 5 points.

When a competitor moves to a lesser position no points will be given. Example: from side mount to half mount = 2 points + 0 points. Total of 2 points.If the competitor in this example from half mount moves back to side mount he/she gets 2 points again.Example: from side mount to half mount to side mount = 2 points + 0 points + 2 points. Total of 4 points.

Points for back mount are only rewarded when:

Both hooks are in or when a body triangle is established.

The chest of the attacker is pressed up against the opponents back.

The opponent is controlled (as described in the previous points) for 3 seconds.

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